Upper



(No Model!) A. SEAVER.

UPPER Patented May '5, 1896.

WI NESS r; 5

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UNITED STATES PATENT Price.

AUGUSTUS SEAVER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

UPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,617, dated May 5, 1896.

Application filed July 5; 1895. Serial No. 554,948. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Auousrus SEAVER, of toston, in the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Boot or Shoe Uppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to facilitate the lastii1g of boot and shoe uppers at the toe portion and to insure a more perfect formation of the toe portion of the upper than heretofore.

The invention consists in the several improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the toe-cap of a boot or shoe embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 represents a bottom view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. l. 4: represents a perspective view of the vamp portion of a boot or shoe upper as prepared for lasting, the same having the previously-molded toe-cap applied to its forward portion. Fig. 5 represents a sectional view of the vamp and toe-cap, the latter being in the position shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 represents a sectional view, showing the vamp after it has been drawn to position over the last during the lasting operation, the toe-cap being displaced. Fig. 7 represents a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the toe-cap brought to its final position.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In carrying out my invention I first mold upon a last-shaped form a layer a of buckrain or other suitable material adapted to be readily molded and to retain the shape irn parted to it by the molding pressure. The form or mold upon which the layer a is shaped is practically a duplicate as to form of the last on which the upper, made as hereinafter described, is to be lasted. Hence I term the operation of forming the layer a a lasting operation, and I hereinafter refer to the said layer as having been lasted. Ithen last or mold upon the layer a and while the latter is supported by the lastshaped mold upon which it was lasted or formed, a toe-cap a, a suitable die being employed to cooperate with the said last-shaped mold, so that the cap conforms accurately to the lasted stiffening-layer, the said cap and layer being cemented together. The lasted layer a and toecap a are provided with an inwardly-projecting flange a, composed of portions of both layers and formed to extend under the bottom of the last, as shown in Fig. 7. I prefer to form wings a a at the upper edge of the toe-cap, said Wings projecting outwardly beyond the molded flange, so that the upper edge of the toe-cap is extended sufficiently to correspond with the width of the vamp b at the point where the upper edge of the toe-cap bears upon the vamp. I secure the upper edge of the toecap to the vamp by stitches c, as shown in Fig. 4, said stitches constituting a hinge connection between the toe-cap and the vamp, so that the toe-cap may be turned upwardly, as shown in Figs. at, 5, and 6. I then last the vamp in the usual manner, drawing its edges downwardly to stretch the vamp and conform it to the last and turning them inwardly upon the bottom of the last and securing them by lasting-tacks or by any other suitable means, the toe-cap previously lasted and stiffened, as already described, being meanwhile displaced, as shown in Fig. 6. After the vamp has been properly lasted 1 move the lasted and stiffened toe-cap to place by swinging it downwardly onto the toe portion of the vamp and springing its flange 0. against the inwardly-turned portion of the vamp, as shown in Fig. 7. The toe cap will be retained in the position last described by its own resilience, although, if desired, it may be secured by tacks or otherwise. The lasting operation is thus completed, and the shoe is ready for the subsequent operations.

It will be seen that by lasting or forming the toe-cap separately, stiffening the toe-cap, attaching it to the vamp before the latter is lasted, lasting the vamp while the previouslylasted toe-cap is displaced, and then springing the lasted toe-cap to position I avoid the difficulty experienced in the usual operation of lasting when the toe-cap is not previously lasted or molded and is placed in an incomplete condition upon the vamp, the vamp and the toe-cap being lasted together. hen this is done, it is diificult, owing to the excessive thickness of the upper, caused by the addition of the toe-cap to the vamp, to accurately and closely fit the toe-cap to the last, particularly in sharply-pointed toes, there being much difficulty in preventing the formation of Wrinkles around the base of the toe-cap.

If desired, the previously lasted or molded toe-cap may be secured to a vamp which is not extended to cover the toe of the last, the vamp terminating close to the stitches that secure it to the upper edge of the toe-cap. In this case the lasted stiffening-layer a applied to the interior of the lasted or molded cap, may take the place of the usual vamplining, or the vamp-lining may be extended, as usual, to the toe and be lasted over the toe in the usual manner. hen the vamp is not extended to cover the toe of the last, the toecap may be first applied to the toe of the last, the vamp being then drawn to place and secured t0 the last. The molded toe-cap, particularly when internally stiffened, as described, enables the box-toe usually placed within the toe-cap to be dispensed with, the stiifened toe-cap serving both as a toe-cap and a box-toe.

In another application filed by me September 14, 1895, Serial No. 562,540, I have shown and claimed as an article of manufacture a toe-cap comprising a body or base having a permanent toe -cap shape and a layer or coating of enamel placed upon the outersurface of said body and formed thereby, the

said coating being free from cracking strain or tension. I do not, therefore, in this application claim anything relating to a patentleather toe-cap, the enameled coating or which is formed bya previously-molded body or base.

I claim 1. As an article of manufacture, a Vamp prepared for lasting and composed of a main ,unlasted or unformed flexible portion which is adapted to be lasted in the usual way, and a stiffened and lasted or molded toe cap composed of an outer layer of leather having a finished external surface and stitched to the said flexible main portion, and a stiffeninglining secured to the inner surface of said outer layer, the said outer layer being shaped to conform to the toe portion of the last on g which the vamp is to be lasted and held in shape by the said lining.

2. As an article of manufacture, a molded leather toe-cap having a stiifening-linin g and a finished external surface, the said cap be- 1 

